


Among The Rest

by kfleming



Category: No Fandom, nanowrimo - Fandom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-24
Updated: 2018-04-23
Packaged: 2019-04-27 03:00:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 20,991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14416242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kfleming/pseuds/kfleming
Summary: Blair Allaway may look like she is just any 12 year old living in Aberdeen, Scotland. She may look that way, but she is actually a 100 year old ghost. She wanted the life a freedom, away from the stuffy rule ridden lifestyle her family wanted of a young lady whose father was a semi important man. She got that and so much more when she ran away only to end up having to wander the lands of her family for centuries.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is me NANOWRIMO story for 2017. I just wanted to post it here for feedback about it. Any feedback would be appreciated.
> 
> Thanks!

Chapter 1  
Being a spirit for the past 100 years, you tend to see many things on your travels. Some things you want to see like historical castles on the hills of my Scottish mother land, and other things you really would not want to see, such as bloody battles that make the rivers and soil red with the blood of innocent people.  
You see I was once an established lady, being taught since birth how to live life in luxury and being told that I would soon marry at the age of 15 to a wealthy generals’ son not much older than me. I did not want that kind of life. I wanted a life of freedom and to be able to see what was out on the other side of the castle walls. I wanted to trade everything I had, for what I wanted. I knew this is what I wanted, but what I got was way more than what I bargained for.  
My name is Blair Allaway. I am the middle daughter of General Donald and Eilionoir Allaway. Born on September 13, 1632, my life was immediately thrown into the routine of dull lessons of being lady like and conversations about meeting my soon to be husband, Gilroy Ainsley. The meeting was to be set for the day after my 13th birthday, but I was not about to let that happen.  
Spending the next few days, I snuck around my home collecting things to make my plan much easier on me. I collected things that people would not be missing, things like old rags from the maid’s station or a map. Using the skills that I have obtained from the endless quiet time with mother and my oldest sister, Abigail. We spent time in the parlor room sewing quilts for my father’s army, while my brother got to sit in and learn how to be a general just like father.  
“So, Blair….” My mother started.  
“Yes mother?” I answered.  
“You know that your birthday is coming up soon and that means that you will be meeting your betrothed.”  
“Ahhhh yes! I forgot that you were the one to be married off rather than me. Even though I am the oldest.” Abigail sneered.  
“Oh, go ahead, take this one, be my guest.” I sneered back.  
“Both of you quit it! Remember you are to be ladies and not animals! Blair is to be married to Gilroy if you like it or not. You are just not ready to be married off, Blair is much more mature than you despite being a whole two years younger than you, Abigail.” Mother scolded.  
Abigail shrieked and ran off in a huff saying something about how it wasn’t fair that she didn’t get to marry into a wealthy family.  
“Mother, I really don’t feel ready to marry at such a young age. I don’t even know if this is the life that I want to live forever.”  
“You are to be married to Gilroy and that’s final young lady. I married into your father’s family and your grandmother in your grandfather and you will marry into Gilroy’s’. That is the only way you can take care of yourself; follow tradition and that will ensure you do not have to work in the brothel and life a healthy, happy life!” Mother pointed out.  
I sighed, “Yes mother”. I was going to make mother happy, but there was no way I was going to go through with this plan, so I just agreed with what she said. We finished the quilts in silence, until the maid called us for dinner.  
Dinner was silent and full of tension. I tried to avoid the glares of my sister, but I could feel if from across the table. I spent so much time staring into my soup, I could not focus on what my father was saying until I was jostled out of my thoughts by a hand touching my shoulder.  
“Young miss, are you alright?” A maid asked.  
“Ahhh, yes! Sorry to worry everyone, I was just lost in my thoughts.” I said trying to hide my embarrassment.  
“That is quite alright dear.” My father said, patting his mouth, “You just have to remember to be a good wife you must act as if you are listening and not about to fall into your dinner.”  
“Yes father, I will remember that.” I continued to eat my soup and reflect on the events that will soon make my life harder. I had to find a way to lose this fate that has been chosen for me.  
The next morning, I was in the library catching up on some reading I was not able to do with all the planning for my birthday and the meeting of my…. husband. Suddenly, Callum barged into the room laughing and spinning, he seemed excited for some reason.  
“Callum! Why are you so excited?” I laughed.  
“Didn’t you hear?! Gilroy is coming TODAY! We get to meet him, I overheard mother and father talking about how plans have changed and they need to meet sooner than planned.” He jumped like a little horse with every word. He seemed more excited to meet Gilroy’s father than meeting Gilroy.  
“WHAT! They’re coming sooner than planned!” I gasped.  
“Oh, yes! I am so excited, aren’t you excited, Blair?” He asked.  
“Yes, I certainly am…. NOT! Why would I be excited? Meeting him means that I will be sent away to marry him sooner now, I will be a 12-year-old bride rather than a 15-year-old bride.” I sat down.  
“I thought you would be happy being married to a guy as great as Gilroy, his family has tons of money and you will get to wear nice dresses and go to parties.” He asked.  
“Yea, that’s what everyone keeps telling me and wants me to do.” I sighed.  
Callum then left the room and left me to my thoughts when the sound of knocking doors awoke me. It was the same maid from dinner the other night.  
“Hello miss, your mother has sent me to help you get ready for when your fiancé arrives for dinner tonight.” She waited patiently for my response.  
I sighed, “Of course, I guess we should get going.” I headed towards the library doors.  
“It must be so exciting to be meeting your future husband.” The maid, who I learned her name was Maisie, asked with a small smile.  
“Not really. I never really wanted to do this in the first place, but you know tradition, you have to do what your family wants and it is frowned upon for a lady to have any sort of free thinking.” I sighed.  
We walked the short walk to my chambers where there was a lovely light green dress waiting for me on my bed. The dress was a type of green that complimented my hair and eyes and did not wash out my skin to the point I look like a ghost.  
“My lady, you look lovely!” Maisie gushed.  
“Yea this dress sure is lovely, but I still won’t enjoy meeting this guy.”  
“Oh! Would you look at the time. Your mother told me to get you to the parlor Thirty till four. It is nearly twenty-five till four. We must get going.” Maisie opens the door to usher me out.  
Walking down the long dim hallways from my chambers to the parlor where I will ultimately meet my fate was just the worst walk I have ever taken. I have taken many walks in my life between on my feet and on my horse, I know what is a good walk and what isn’t, and let’s just say that this one is a bad one.  
Upon entering the parlor, I was met with the eyes of my mother, father and three strangers. The room immediately went silent as I awkwardly glanced around the room and when it came to the strangers I knew my lessons and made sure I did a lady like gesture and uttered a small hello, to show that I have acknowledged their presence and to not seem as rude.  
“Ahhh my dear Blair, come come, you have to meet your future family.” My father said happily as he ushered me more into the room and sat me down on the plush chairs between himself and my mother.  
“Blair, this is Gilroy Ainsley, his father General Nichol and his mother Finola Ainsley. They are to join us for dinner and help with the plans for you and Gilroy’s wedding in due time.” Mother said gently as if I were to run away at any word said to me.  
“Before dinner we will have time for you and Gilroy to get to know each other. You two need to be on the same page in order for this wedding to go as planned.” General Nichol said twirling his mustache.  
Time seemed to slow down as the parents talked about life and plans for the wedding, but the fathers seemed more interested in the war battles than the wedding plans. I moved to a small table in the corner to try and think about everything that I was just told, I must have been staring at my tea for some time now. I did not notice that someone had sat across from me until I heard someone clear their throat.  
“Ahem, hello.”  
Jumping, I looked up and noticed that it was Gilroy.  
“Oh hello!” I started to get up, but he stopped me.  
“Please, stay. I did not mean to startle you. I was hoping that we could spend a bit of time getting to know each other before our families send us off to get to know one another in private.” Gilroy asked with a small smile. “If that’s alright with you?”  
He seemed like a nice guy, not at all arrogant or stuck up as I thought he would be based on what I had heard from other people.  
“Yes, that’s quite alright.” I said sitting back down, “Though to be quite honest, I’m not at all enthusiastic about this marriage as my family might have said.”  
“Oh, that’s a relief. I, myself, am less than thrilled to be in this marriage, but I am only doing it to make father happy. He always tells me that “Behind every great general is a great wife.” I only want to make him happy, but I want to marry who I want.” Gilroy sighed and rested his face in his palm.  
“I feel the same way; the only thing is that I do not want to be a wife stuck inside a stuffy castle and be ladylike for the rest of my life. I want a life of adventure. If I manage to find someone on the way through life, that’s fine with me.” I huffed.  
We talked for a few minutes before our mothers came over to tell us that we must go to the tea room and have more of a chat then a maid will come to take us to dinner. My mother then pulled me aside for a moment before we had a chance to enter the small room.  
“Now dear, be civilized with the boy. Do not mention anything about the nonsense that you spoke to me about earlier. You are to do this because you have to, being a lady in a proper family means doing things because you have to not because you want to.” She whispered to me.  
“Yes mother, I will be very civilized with Gilroy.” I lied through my teeth.  
“Good, now go on and head to the other room and chat.” She ushered me towards Gilroy, who extended his arm in a gentlemanly manner to lead me to the room.  
The short walk was met with silence other than the sound of clicking shoes on the hard floor. I kept my eyes towards the floor, trying not to make any eye contact with the boy next to me. The cold hall gave me a chill, Gilroy suddenly stopped and took off his coat.  
“What are you- “I started to ask.  
“You’re cold, and as a gentleman I must offer my coat even if one is inside.” He pointed out draping the coat around my shoulders.  
“Oh, well thank you.” I said and we continued the walk to the tea room.  
Entering the tea room, we were met with a brightly lit room, filled with the smell of brewing warm tea and small sandwiches. The room was warm and the smell of the tea made the room feel relaxed and home like, which was good because Gilroy was not at a place he called home and as a lady I was to help him feel as comfortable as possible.  
“I hope you enjoy the tea and sandwiches, we had the chef prepare a special tea only used for special occasions.” The maid explained then stood by the door.  
The first few minutes were an awkward silence, the sandwiched were good and the tea warm. Only thing we needed to do was start a conversation about what we were going to do about our upcoming marriage plans and if we were going to try and get out of them.  
“Ahem, well since we only have a short amount of time before dinner, I say we start this conversation.” Gilroy started, stood up and extended his hand in a small bow, “I am Gilroy Ainsley, son of General Nichol and Finola Ainsley. I am pleased to make your acquaintance.”  
Taking his hand in a small hello, I said “Hello, I am Blair Allaway, middle daughter of Donald and Eilionoir Allaway.”  
“Well Blair, we are to be married, so why not tell me a bit about your family.” Gilroy sighed and sat down.  
“My family had lived in this castle since my great great great grandfather. I have an older sister named Abigail and a younger brother named Callum. Abigail is awfully jealous of this arrangement because she wanted to be the first to have all the attention placed on her when she marries into a wealthy family, but mother said that she is not properly ready to be wedded into a proper family.” I laughed remembering the look on Abigail’s face as she stormed off in embarrassment.  
“Sounds like a nice family, my family isn’t nearly as big. It’s just me, my mother and father. My father is always away on business so being the only person around is dull. I think my mother noticed and decided to arrange a marriage so that I will always have someone nearby to talk to.”  
“Yea, but I don’t want to be wrangled into marriage. I know you don’t either, so what are we going to do about it? Fake our deaths? Run away?” I questioned.  
“There’s not much we can do, Blair. We’re stuck in this arrangement. If you want to run off you can, but I’m sure that once my father catches word that you’ve gone missing he’s going to send any man he can to get you. I’m sorry if that sounded like a threat, but I’m sure that my family would not want any word getting out that will tarnish the family name.” Gilroy muttered.  
A knock stopped our conversation as the maid opened the door and revealed both my and Gilroy’s father. It must have been time for dinner and they wanted to personally escort us to the dining hall rather than have a maid. Walking to the hall for dinner was another quiet walk, today has just been filled with awkward quiet walks. All I wanted to do was be in the library and read my book, not talking about boring wedding plans.  
Entering the hall, we were met with a table filled with different dishes from hash to grilled duck. I was sat across from Gilroy and my father was at the head of the table with General Nichol to his left and mother to his right. The dinner was filled with light conversation until General Nichol started talking about getting the wedding planning started. I knew this was going to be an awful dinner with this conversation.  
“So, Blair, what did you and Gilroy talk about? Anything about the wedding?” General Nichol asked.  
“No sir, we did not get a chance to talk much about it. We were mainly talking about family and getting to know each other.” I shyly answered.  
“Ah, well your father and I talked about it. We decided you and my son are to get married the week after your fifteenth birthday at my father’s castle in the country side. It will be a beautiful spring wedding.” Nichol laughed proudly.  
“Yes, my dear, you and Gilroy are to have a wedding soon, and honeymoon at your grandmother’s small country cabin. Then when you return we hope you two start thinking about starting a family to expand the two families, we want more sons to become great generals.” My father nodded before taking a sip of his wine.  
I nearly spit out my drink at the thought of possibly having a honeymoon with him. I could not even fathom the thought of even having children with him. That business is left for someone who wants this kind of life style. That is not for me. I gave a quick glance to Gilroy, hoping that he was having the same reaction. Glancing over, Gilroy had his lips pressed in a tight line in an almost pained expression. I could tell that he was uncomfortable with all this talk.  
“Yes father” He choked out, despite not wanting to go through with the plans, “I will talk with Blair after dinner about everything.  
Glancing down at my dinner, I knew there was going to be two ways out of this marriage, running away or death. I was not going to die just yet. I needed to see the world that was out there beyond the walls and I did not want to do that being married to a generals’ son who feels he needs to live up to his family name.  
“Well, that was a lovely dinner.” My father started and pulled out my mother’s chair to help her out, “How about we all move into the smoking room to discuss more of this wedding.”  
“That sounds lovely dear.” Mother stood up and patted down her gown to make sure there were no crumbs on her.  
“Blair and I will go out to the gardens for some fresh air and talk more about the wedding.” Gilroy pulled out my chair and offered me a hand, “Come my lady, you are looking pale and might be of need of air.”  
“Yes, I do believe you’re right.” I took his hand.  
Walking to the gardens, I made sure to make him know how unpleased I was with this situation. This whole wedding was getting planned too fast, and neither of us was going to like it if we ended up married to each other. We had to think of a way to get out of this arrangement without making someone upset.  
“I am not happy with how this is going.” I said sitting down on a stone bench.  
“I know, but what else am I going to do? Tell my father that I have no interest in marrying you and that we should go marry the baker’s daughter. He will have such a laugh at that, saying I need to marry into my own class.” Gilroy rolled his eyes and stared at the lilies that grew along the path.  
“I have some things packed and ready, if all else fails I will be dressing myself in rags and leaving this place for something better. I will not be thrown into a marriage that I do not want all for the sake of making my parents happy and having alliances made.” I sneered and turned my nose up at him.  
Gilroy huffed, obviously tense from all the drama and obligations our parents have thrown onto him, “You can do what you want, but I told you once before, once word gets out that you ran off my father will send men to bring you back. Then you really will be forced into a marriage you do not want to be in.”  
We stood in silence for what seemed like hours, until Gilroy decided to break the silence…by standing up and offering his hand to me. I assumed it was to be of truce between us, but he only offered his hand to lead me to a secluded part of the gardens. The part of the gardens where no guards came through. I wonder why he was taking me here.  
“Why are we here?” I whispered as we walked past the guards that were watching our every move.  
“I want to make sure no one hears our conversations, I saw on a map father showed me of the castle grounds that there is a section of these gardens that is essentially forbidden for any of the family to go through. I have a feeling that we will have a bit of time to talk there.” He whispered back, giving a small smile.  
I have a feeling this talk we were going to have was not going to be about the wedding and honeymoon. It must be about something else, something that would put us in deep trouble if anyone heard and reported to our parents what we were doing.  
“What if someone comes looking for us?” I asked, looking up at him with a slight worried expression, “What would our explanation be if someone finds us here?”  
“I haven’t thought of an answer for that yet, but if someone does I will just make something up.” With a wave, Gilroy light heartedly laughed, not realizing how that answer was not the best when it came to being caught in a forbidden area.  
*Sigh* “Well let’s just get this conversation over with, we have to talk about it sooner or later.” With a tug, I started pulling him along to a faster walking pace.  
The area wasn’t as awful as its name tells, for one thing the “forbidden part” is only because it is in a hard to see part of the land. It’s an easy place to hide if no one wants to be found, but it may also be the easiest place to be found if you’re trying not to be caught. The bushes are high like a maze and covered with different colors and types of flowers. Flowers that range from roses to petunias all in colors from red to slight shades of yellows. Forbidden gardens must be kept up with just like any bit of the garden, sharp corners and only the brightest colors.  
The center of the gardens has a small stone bench that lays along one side of walls, that is because the groundskeeper is the only one who comes in here to relax so why not have some place to sit and enjoy the flowers.  
“Alright, my lady. This looks like a good place to stop.” Gilroy gestured to the small bench, “I’m sure no one will see or even hear us this far into the maze.”  
“I assume not, but one can never be too sure.” The wind started to pick up which caused a chill to run up my spine, “We might as well talk fast and get back inside.”  
“The reason I brought you hear is because we both clearly don’t want to be married. I have one I wish to marry back in my home lands. Father would never want me to be with her due to her status.” Gilroy plucked a flower off a bush, “We need a plan to ensure we both can get what we want.”  
“What if we send message to her and get to be a fake me?” I asked, “Then you can marry her, but she needs to know how to act and talk like a royal, she has to completely commit to the part.”  
Gilroy started pacing, “I don’t know if she can do it, she does not have hair such as yours, nor the right figure. We will easily be caught.”  
“Well that may be our only answer to this problem, that or we stall for as long as possible and hope no one notices.”  
Gilroy looked deep in thought before turning to face me, took a deep breath and said, “I know which idea I want to go with.”


	2. chapter 2

Chapter 2  
Sneaking out of the castle with a small sack of necessary bits and bobs that would last me was not an easy thing when there might be a guard or maid around every corner despite it being so early in the morning. Everyone in the small town of Aberdeen, Scotland would know who I was despite being in rags stolen from the maid to hide my appearance, there is not many people around town that have hair as bright red as my family. That is what makes us stand out amongst a crowd no matter where we are, parties or going into town.  
The maids and guards that were awake and walking around early this morning thought of me as any other maid passing through to get ready for the day. So far, my disguise has worked and no one has heard the news that I have run away.  
Passing through the farm lands, I was stopped by Mr. Albert. He was an old farmer that lived down the hill of the castle  
“Hello young lady, make sure you don’t walk north from here. There is a big battle that the general is leading and they sent out word that they don’t want any more casualties.” He shouted from his house.  
I waved slightly to both acknowledge that I heard him and to make sure he did not recognize my voice just in case. He waved back telling me to have a good day.   
I knew my way around a map, the only problem was Mr. Alberts farm is nowhere on a map because it was such a small farm. Perplexed, I continued walking making sure to avoid any more contact with people living outside the main village for both my and their safety. Wandering my way away from home and towards my new life of adventure, I walked towards the slowly rising sun signaling the direction I wanted to go.  
“Well, so far so good, I just have to make it through town and I should be free enough to not worry of anyone knowing me.” I muttered to myself keeping my head low to avoid any eyes that may see me.  
When I thought I was free enough to slow down my pace, I heard the noticeable chimes of my family’s bell, signaling the guards that there was an emergency. I knew that at that moment I had been found to be missing and that I was to be found. Hiking up my bag, I started running and hoped that my running did not serve me any unnecessary eyes. It was too early in the morning, but when the sun was rising there is more of a risk of being seen.  
“I have to get out of here.” I thought to myself, “I waited far too long to just be dragged back home.”  
I had to get off the streets and into the fields.  
Walking off the beaten path and into the grass was a pain on my feet, but it was a needed thing I absolutely had to do to get away from any suspicion. This was the plan that Gilroy decided to choose, I agree because there was no way that that little girl could have learned all my movements and mannerisms in such a short time. Fooling both sets of parents was also the problem because of all the way I act around my mother and father, they would have known she was not be fast despite a wig and a corset.   
Looking around I started noticing the different things I could not see in my sheltered life. I saw things like wonderful new flowers and animals. The wildlife and scenery was the most amazing things I have ever seen. It created a sense of urgency of wanting to continue my journey. For a moment I forgot about the risk of being caught if I stay in a spot too long.  
I started walking east away from town and more towards the fields, where an adventure was just waiting for me to find. Noticing these mountains in the far distance, I started a light jog, the urgency bubbled more and more. Though the closer I got to the mountains, the faster I realized that I did not know how to climb mountains. I stopped my jogging and glanced around. It looked like I was all alone and far enough away from town.  
I knew that Gilroy didn’t keep his part of the deal long enough, knowing this was a deep feeling that I was soon to become face to face with someone wanting to drag me back home. I had to continue faster than I was before, I couldn’t stop and look at the flowers and wildlife. The point of this plan was to get away of the castle as soon as possible, Gilroy obviously had not gotten that part clear enough since I only managed to get a few miles away from home and with the horses the guards have, I’ll be caught in no time.  
“I got to get a horse or something” I looked around.  
I couldn’t go and take my horse from the stables, that would be one way that the search party could track me. Everyone knew what my horse looks like. Large, white and strong are the words that could easily describe him. This horse was my best friend around the castle.  
His name was Cináed, meaning “born of fire” in Gaelic. He was given to me when I was very young, my mother would always say that “a lady needs to know how to ride a horse, you never know when you will need to”, mother was right about that, but also wrong because I could not bring him with me.  
Looking back at the memories I had with him made me realize that I need to get him, but a part of me told me to keep going. I didn’t want to be taken back home and forced in a marriage. Sprinting, I took off towards the woods at the base of that mountains.   
While I was sprinting to find a hiding spot, my father was yelling orders left and right at guards and military men sending them across every direction.  
“We have to find her! This marriage shall not end up in shambles! We have a reputation to uphold!” He yelled at captains and scouts alike, trying to form some kind of order amongst the ranks.  
“Yes sir, we will go across the village and check the surrounding areas. She couldn’t have gotten very far, her horse is still in its stable.” A guard announced.  
“And we will check the far reaches near the mountains, we don’t know how early she left. She could already be that far.” A scout announced.  
My father nodded. A guard then busted through the door and handed father a note.  
There is rumor that a mysterious girl has been spotted near the fields. She is walking on foot and was spotted at dawn.  
My father turned and ordered a scout to take some men and figure out if this rumor was true.   
The sun was setting and it was getting dark fast, I managed to find a cave hidden amongst the trees and bushes along the mountain. I made sure that I would not be easily spotted or eaten by any bears or wolves that may be living in the area. I needed to find a way to avoid any unwanted attention or run into any guards that will be looking for me.  
SNAP  
Hearing the snap of a stick, I had to stop and hide in the darkness of the cave. That snap could have been caused by anything outside the cave; guards, animals, anything. I could not take a risk and go look. Hunkering down, I decided to wait it out and continue my journey earlier before the sun rose.  
Daylight came and gone and I was sure the guards were either called off for the night or minimum patrol. I had to start walking before the sun came over the mountains, the longer I stayed in one area the easier it would be for me to be spotted. Hoisting up my bag, I started slowly towards the exit of the cave.  
The moon was bright enough that I could see where I was going and see any potential threats to my freedom. I knew I was also in need of food supply, I had not eaten since the night before. My only choices were to either risk going into a town or learn how to cook my own wildlife. I was getting hungry and I had a bit of fruit in my bag that should help tie me over until I reach a far enough town where I would not be known.   
Hearing the sounds of the crickets and the howls of the winds from the east was certainly a new experience, I had never felt this kind of emotion; worry and joy at the same time. I was excited to get to continue my journey, but the fear of getting caught was over powering the happy feeling.   
“I have to keep moving, once I reach a considerable amount of distance I can stop and eat.”  
What I didn’t realize is I was heading into danger that may or may not make my journey harder to finish. Nonetheless, I continued to walk and hoped I can get away.  
The sounds of crickets suddenly sounded quiet as the wind picked up and the birds started flying. I could hear loud booms and see harsh lights in the distance, there must be a storm near here that could compromise my time.  
*BOOM BOOM*  
Walking a bit faster, I tried to out walk the upcoming storm. The booms and flashes were the only thing keeping me motivated on not stopping to rest. Huffing and puffing, I trudged through the long weeds of fields and thick bushes in the forests. There was something about walking through a forest that made this adventure feel safer due to the many things that could help hide me.  
I came upon an abandoned shed on the edge of the forest luckily for me, the storm had finally caught up to me. The shed was old and in rough shape, but it was home for now. As the storm blew through, I could hear the wood creak and move. The winds were loud and fast, I had a feeling that this shed was not going to hold up, I could feel the drips leaking through the boards and some of the rood was getting blown away.  
Wrapping up in my thin shawl, I tried to hunker down and keep relatively warm and dry. This storm was a blessing and a curse. Blessing to help cover my tracks, but a curse because it slows down my pace.  
“This storm needs to pass already.” I angrily thought while holding my shawl closer to my shivering body.  
“I wonder how close the sun is to coming up, it feels like I’ve been walking for ages.” Glancing through a crack, all I saw was rain.  
This rain was really coming down, I would keep walking though I really wouldn’t want to risk my trip by getting sick. Taking a nap and resting was the best thing to do in moments like this.  
*Chirp chirp chirp*  
I was jolted awake by the chirps of birds. I looked around and realized that I had slept way later than I intended to. I was now behind where I wanted to be. Grabbing my bag, I quickly started walking while being cautious of any wandering visitors that may or may not be on the lookout for me.  
“Why did it have to be now that I decided to sleep in, the guards could be anywhere by now.” I mumbled to myself, keeping as quiet as possible, but walking as fast as I could but not too fast to not have suspicion.  
The world around me was quiet and peaceful, which put my erratic mind at ease for a short while. Even though I had a late start, I managed to get through this semi peaceful forest and into the next town of Bradbury. The town is mainly small shops that sell fish and other goods. It’s a small off the map kind of town, but also one I do not wish to stop at even though I’m positive that my father would not send the guards here to search for me.   
My stomach growled in protest of the thought of not stopping in the small town. Sighing, I decided to spend the last bit of money I had to stock up on light foods to carry on this trip.   
Bradbury had stores from book shops to jewelers. I was on a mission for a simple fruit stand to get the cheapest fruit to save money on other necessities. Gazing left and right I made sure to pull my hood up enough to conceal my trademark hair and eyes. Taking a deep breath, I made that first step into town.  
After passing stands trying to sell me pots and masks, I spotted a simple fruit stand. The stand had a small variety of fruits, surely enough to last until I make it far enough.  
“Hello dear.”  
Looking up, I realized a small old woman was running the stand.  
“Oh, hello.” I gave her a small smile.  
“We don’t get many travelers in town, it’s nice to see a new face every once in a while.”  
“I don’t see why not, this is such a nice little town.”  
“Well, small towns just don’t get seen as much now a says I suppose.” The old lady shrugged.  
I hummed and took in the image of the woman. She was small, surely too old to be out working, she should be at home, but I guess people need to work no matter their age. She had deep crow’s feet near her eyes and wrinkles all over her face. She wore a simple brown skirt and green top underneath a beige apron. She seemed to be having trouble walking because of the cane she held with her.  
Glancing back up, I asked “How much for two of each fruit?”  
The woman glanced at the stand, “That’ll be 25 Buds.”   
I handed her the money and started choosing the best out of the bunch. Digging around the pile, I stuffed my bag full of apples, oranges, peaches and berries. I felt that I could trust the old woman, so I allowed my hood to fall a bit from my face. Not all the way off, but enough to at least make my face seen.  
“I’m sorry dear, but do I know you from somewhere?”  
“Oh! No, I don’t think we’ve ever met. I’m not from here.” I looked at the woman and slightly pulled my hood higher hoping that she wouldn’t know who I was.  
“You just look so familiar. I guess you have that kind of face.” The woman chuckled.  
I chuckled with her, “Yes, I get that a lot.”   
Grabbing my bag full of fruits, I thank the woman and fixed my hood again.  
Making my way through town, market sellers tried to sell me combs for my pretty hair, necklaces for a pretty lady, or even some pottery. These people really knew how to make a sale. They complement until the person feels that they must buy from them, but I knew my limits.  
Seeing the edge of the city on top of the tall hill made me eager to get out of town. You never knew how fast the search could be moving. The only problem was, once I made it near the top of the hill, I saw that there were indeed a few search men near the gate. They were talking to a local, probably if they have seen me.  
I couldn’t tell what they were talking about, but I just knew it had to be about me. To be sure, I started sneaking behind buildings hoping to get a good hear on the conversation. I got as close enough as I could before it got to where I was going to look suspicious, but I managed to hear a bit of the conversation.  
“You sure you haven’t seen her?” A guard asks.  
“No sir, I haven’t seen anyone of that description.” The local, that looks to be a fisherman explained.  
“Alright, if you see her let us know.”  
With that the guards clicked, and their horses started going more into town to question the other locals. I knew that older woman might have seen my face, but I’m not quite sure. I make a bee line towards the alley way.   
Hiding behind some old crates, I hear the familiar clip clop of the horses pass by. I take a quick glance and see the last tip of a horse tail go past the alley and down the street. With a sigh, I quickly get up and even though I shouldn’t, I head towards the old woman’s stand.  
I know that those riders will be questioning any person they come across, pulling my hood closer to my face and concealing any of the bright mess on my head called hair put me at ease a bit, but I still had to be on guard. Looking around the corner, I saw that the guards were questioning the old woman and she was looking puzzled, or in thought about if she remembered me or not. I hoped she was old enough to not remember someone who matched a verbal description.  
“Have you seen anyone around here that matches the description we just told you?” One guard asks.  
The woman sat in thought for a few seconds before she opened her mouth to speak.  
“Now that I think about it….I saw someone who matched a few of those points.”  
I started to think of ways to run off just in case the woman told them I was here. Right as I was about to turn and run, I heard the rest of the woman’s sentence.  
“But with these old eyes, I’m pretty sure I didn’t even see the face, all I know is the girl’s hair was pretty orange in color, but I’m sure that the girl isn’t the one you’re looking for. I don’t even know which way she went after I sold her some food.”  
With those last words, the guards hummed in thought and thanked the woman before walking away to continue the search.  
Needing to get away, I started walking the opposite direction that the guards went. The town wasn’t built with a fence, so I was able to go through the many small buildings avoiding the eyes of the shop owners. Walking faster, almost a running pace, I reached the edge of town and into the ever-thickening forest nearby. The guards were getting hot on my trail and I needed to find a way to lose them.  
Following the worn dirt trail in the forest made it easier to hide my tracks since it is a path commonly taken by people all over. Taking this trail covered my tacks, but it also made it easier for people to spot me. The sun was getting lower and lower and that’s when I realized I spent a major portion of my day in town.  
Starting to run, I made my way out of the forest and spotted a small Inn. The Inn was strangely placed, but I just assumed it was built there for travelers to stop and rest without having to find a town.   
The Inn, seemed like something out of a fairytale. It was a cozy little place, off the edge of a forest. There were spots to host any horses and many rooms. I debated going inside, just in case there were any guards taking a break. Sneaking closer, I found that the Inn had a fireplace and cozy looking chairs. Rejecting the idea of going in, I continued the trail. I didn’t want to be spotted, but also, I was running out of money.  
I stopped before I got too far, and realized that one of those horses could help me get away faster than the search party could look for me. I didn’t want to be reduced to stealing someone’s horse, but I was desperate and in need of fast transportation.   
With a sigh, I snuck into the stables and looked at my options. The first few stables were filled with horses much too big for me to get on and off let alone try and steal. The last few had smaller horses, probably a few years young, not too big. These horses were probably being used to transport young children. I begrudgingly accepted that I had to take someone’s horse to help myself out.  
I chose the darker of the two horses. This one had a dark brown coat with some white splotches on his hind legs. The saddle was hanging nearby along with the reins. Strapping them was easy and the horse didn’t struggle with a stranger. Lucky for me, but the hard part was sneaking the horse out of the stable without the other horses being panicked and alerting the people inside.  
The inside of the stable was fully covered with hay making movement quiet. The horses seemed to be uninterested in me and the horse, I quickly named Nightmeadow, sneaking away. It wasn’t until we passed by the last stable that the horse inside made some jerking movements. Those made me stop in panic, hoping that the movement didn’t alert anyone.   
With the coast clear I mounted Nightmeadow and rode my way past the Inn, making it look and seem like to any passers that I was just a traveler that had a dark horse. The horse whinnied and started a slow trot up the path. The road had many twists and turns, but also many hiding places for potential dangers, such as thieves.   
Nightmeadow was very relaxed as if he wanted to go on an adventure, he must have been very bored with his owners. He wanted a sense of adrenaline and excitement, which I hope I can give him.   
The forest was calm and cool. Almost as if something was going to happen. Nightmeadow wasn’t uneasy at all so maybe it was just my over thinking getting the best of me. Shaking my head to get rid of any doubt, I lightly kicked Nightmeadow, signaling to him to go a bit faster.  
People are known to see things in this forest at night and I would not like to see things. Esecially since I am, well used to be, a very important person. With rumors flying around and guards looking for me I’m sure someone wants to get their hands on me. Keeping me captive sure would put an edge on things and my father might pay a ton of money to get me back.  
With the sun going down, I decided to get him to go just a bit faster. The sense of urgency washed over me, I had to get out of this forest. At a sprint, we went through the twisted path, ducked through the low branches and hopped over many fallen trees. The forest would have surely slowed me down if I had not taken this horse.  
Exiting the forest made both me and the horse relax. Slowing down to an easy pace, we continued our way.  
“I think we should stop for the night. What do you think boy?” I asked and petted his mane  
Nightmeadow clicked in agreement.  
“Alright. We’ll stop over there for the night.” I pointed over to a comfortable looking, but weirdly placed trees. The trees looked like weeping willows, but the leaves on the trees hung way lower and was way thicker than any weeping willow I have ever seen in any books.  
Jumping from Nightmeadow, I grabbed his reigns and lead him into the thick growth. At first, he seemed apprehensive about going into the unknown, but with a few encouraging works he went through.   
The inside of the arch was dark and that made it hard to see anything. Whispering curses under my breath, which is bad for a lady, but hearing things from my father you tend to pick up a few things. I forgot to grab a lantern when I left home, and with the horse being black it makes it even harder to see where he’s at.  
I decided to just stop and start feeling for a tree. Feeling around in the darkness made me feel vulnerable and I could feel my heart rate getting faster. It wasn’t until I felt the rough texture of the tree bark did I let out a big sigh of relief. Feeling the bark made me feel safe because I wasn’t wandering around in the inky black darkness anymore.  
Holding onto Nightmeadows reigns, I slowly slid down the bark and felt for anything to tie the reigns to. Feeling nothing, I decided to feel my way around the while tree.  
“There has to be a low branch around here somewhere.”  
Finally feeling something, not knowing what it was, I tied the reigns to it anyway. With a pat, I told Nightmeadow goodnight and sat against the tree a bit away from the horse. I didn’t want to get accidentally stepped on during the night.  
Waking up by the sound of horse stomping, honestly was not the way I wanted to start my day. I sat up and figured out why Nightmeadow was making so much noise; the guards must have been spread out across the area. Standing up, I quickly calmed Nightmeadow. I didn’t want to be found, even though the tree vines are thick, its hard to not hear horse.  
The moment of quiet created a sense of both panic and thrill in me. Waiting for the search to leave over the hill seemed like an eternity. They were both on horses with leather boots and dark blue suits. The horses were dressed in the emblem of my family.  
Luckily, I could sneak around the back side of the tree and behind bushes before mounting Nightmeadow. The thrill of running past the search put a thrill in my veins, the thrill that I was searching for my whole like. This is the reason that I ran away in the first place.   
I saw a small patch of dirt and decided that if I was going to get away unnoticed I had to change my appearance a little bit. I hopped off the horse and rubbed a bit of dirt on my face and solemnly got my small knife, and slowly cutting away at my long hair. The result was it being shorter and choppier. That didn’t help hide the color, I had to find a way sooner or later to change my color.  
I left that thought behind me as I mounted Nightmeadow. The guards were still where I left them. Slowly, I rode past them keeping my head down low. I hope I looked pitiful enough for them not to stop me.   
“Hey you! Stop for a minute!” I heard called at me.  
Cursing under my breath, I stopped Nightmeadow because if I were to run away they were sure going to chase me and think I did a crime.   
With one guard on either side of me, I made sure to keep eye contact to a minimum. That way they can’t see my face.  
“What brings you here to these parts?” One askes.  
“Traveling” I made my voice a slightly deeper pitch to fool them,  
“Oh, well if you’ve been traveling maybe you’ve seen this girl. She ran away from her family and her father sent out any man he can find to find her.” The other said.  
“Don’t think I’ve seen anyone that looks out of place.” Shaking my head I made it seem as if I knew nothing.   
“She has long red hair and was last seen wearing a dress. She may have been in a town nearby from a lead we received from another group.”   
“Yea, she will be easy to spot, so if you see anyone of that description tell any guard you see alright?”   
“Yes sirs. Good day.” I clicked and went on my way.  
With a sigh of relief, knowing I successfully made it past the lazy guards and away from certain doom. The road ahead was long, and the day was nice. So nice that maybe I can let Nightmeadow go on a run, with a slight kick he went from a small trot to a small run then to a sprint.  
The hood of my cloak blew off, making my newly chopped hair blow in the wind. The wind was feeling as free as my soul felt that very moment. I knew I had to still be cautious, but I couldn’t bear to not take a moment of rest from my façade to the world, acting as if I wasn’t who I was.  
I saw to the left of the road was a field. I decided to take the field route rather than go and continue the road and risk running into more search parties. The day was getting dark and with the dark came the dangers.


	3. chapter 3

Chapter 3  
Making it to the field and away from the guards, I realized just where I was. I was at the what used to be battle field that Gilroy’s father was stationed at only months ago. The remnants of tents and campfires littered the ground along with bits and pieces of war rations.  
Hopping off Nightmeadow and walking up to the long-abandoned camps, I could smell the lingering scent of smoke and gunpowder. The sight of the place made it look like the army either got attacked or they left in a hurry.   
“But what would make them leave in such a hurry?” I thought to myself.  
Chuckling I glanced around, “I know that there are legends around this are about a spirit that haunts the fields, but I doubt a high-ranking army would get spooked by a simple ghost.”   
Continuing my way, I saw that the camp had left some maps behind. They were a bit torn and burnt on some edges, as if there was a fire or someone had tried to burn the evidence. The other tents had smaller things such as boots or left behind trunks. It really started to seem as if they were leaving in a hurry.  
Grabbing the reins, I lead Nightmeadow through the outside of the camp. Something seemed fishy about this camp and I wanted to get out of it as fast as possible. Mounting Nightmeadow, we made it past the camp and started the trot up a hill. The hill seemed like it just showed up out of nowhere. I have never seen this hill, but I need a place to set up camp before the sun went down and I couldn’t see where I was going.  
Gripping onto the reigns was the hardest thing I have ever done. Sure, we went up hills before, but none this size. Every second of walking caused me to feel as if I was going to fall off Nightmeadow and into the ground. Horses act as if gravity had no effect on them and walk up steep hills like nothing.  
Finally reaching the top and looking over at the sunset, I noticed something weird. There was smoke coming up from nearby behind some trees. The smoke was accompanied by stillness in both the air and the energy of the area. The area felt disturbed somehow, as if something had happened.  
It was getting far too dark to investigate so we decided to park and take a break for the night. Looking in my bag, I forgot about the fruits I bought from that old woman. It surely was a day or so since I had eaten, and I knew that Nightmeadow was getting hungry despite being able to munch on any grass in the area. I offered him an apple while I ate a fruit I didn’t recognize, but I had seen my mother and father eat it many times. They said it wasn’t a childs fruit.  
This fruit was green in color with a semi thick peel. I managed to get it open and the fruit was soft and full of water. That would be good to eat because the next river will be hard to find, and any drinking holes would require us to go into a town.  
Taking a bite of the weird fruit, I realized why my parents had said it wasn’t a childs fruit. The taste of the fruit was tart almost sour. I didn’t spit it out at first because I needed the water inside along with the food in my aching belly.  
The fruit wasn’t enough to fill me up, but I had to conserve the amount of food I had in my bad. I didn’t want to eat it all at once, especially when I barely had any money left. I needed to find a way to get more money if I was to make it in this kind of world. Thinking hard, I remembered deep in my bag there was a set of earrings and a matching necklace. I’m sure that would go for a decent price in a town with a jeweler.  
Falling asleep was hard. The stillness of night made it almost impossible to get any peace. If I didn’t have Nightmeadow here with me I doubt I would be able to get any sleep. I was restless, but the sound of his breathing calmed me enough to get sleep.  
The sound of loud banging and cracks in the dark jostled me awake. Jumping up, my eyes didn’t automatically get adjusted to the dark, so I was searching blindly in the dark for any signs of the noise. Finally, when I was able to see clearly enough, well enough as one can see in the dark, I saw signs of what must me a battle.  
“That must be where that camp went” I muttered.  
Laying back down, I decided to try and get some more sleep. When the bangs continued, I grumpily got up off the cold, hard ground.   
Dusting myself off I whispered to Nightmeadow, “Come on boy time to get moving.”  
At first, he was too tired to move, but eventually he got up and we got set on our way down the enormous hill. I knew we were far enough away from the battle, but you never knew how close or far things are when you’re on top of a hill or even in general for that matter. I bet most of these men will be dead by morning or even the next night.  
Waking up that early was not on my to do list for the day. I wanted to wake up at dawn, where there was a slither of light, but not enough that I can be seen. The moon was still out, and the night made wandering around uneasy, you can never know who might be hiding in a bush ready to attack. The lights from the battle not too far made it a bit better to see where I was going.  
The slight rocking that came from riding a horse made me drowsy, but I had to stay up or else Nightmeadow would keep walking and I would be none the wiser as to where exactly we were. I had to keep alert and awake.  
Doing a quick think, I decided that the only way to stay awake was to walk. Pulling on the reigns I halted Nightmeadow to a stop. He looked at me in question as if to ask why I had stopped him in the middle of a field.  
“Don’t worry boy.” I said patting his neck and holding onto the reigns, “I’m just going to do to a little bit of walking to keep me awake.”  
The walk wasn’t the best thing in world, that was because it was still dark and uneasy. I knew we had to be coming up on some kind of land mark, there was a large bolder coming up in the distance and either that was just a random rock, or it was a specific landmark to a town.  
With the sun coming up more and more, it was a good decision to walk and not sleep. The path we were on was slowly getting more and more dangerous. The rocks here were loose and not easy to walk on, I wanted to ensure that Nightmeadow had any chance to have an easy travel. You never knew when we had to run away and having an injured hoof was not a risk we were willing to take.  
Standing next to the large boulder, I noticed that there is a sign planted on a post not too far from said rock. It points to a village. Where there’s a village, there’s food and water. Mounting Nightmeadow, we make our way to the village.  
The village was not very far from the rock. It almost was right next to it. Looking around I notice that the village was bare, almost as if they were evacuated. The strange occurrence in this village, at first glance, is that it smells almost exactly like the abandoned camp. Looking at the map I took from one of the tents, I came to the realization that we have been accidentally following a trail on the map.   
Gasping, I quickly try to turn Nightmeadow around and get us out of here. If we continued on the way that we were going we might have been in accidental line of fire or someone would have seen me and possibly chased us down just to take me all the way back home.  
There was no way I was going that route. Finding an off road route opposite way of the constant line of battle, there was a feeling of dread that there was something off about going in the direction we were going. Sure, the grass and wind was nice and there was no smell of gun powder or smoke. Something just felt off.  
The road was leading us through a field that appeared to be a decent and safe route. The grass was undisturbed and there was no unnatural smells. We were walking for what seemed like an hour when there was a sudden BOOM. Almost as if there was a cannon or type of explosion just went off nearby.  
Glancing left and right, I realized that there might have been something really fishy going on in these fields and I didn’t want to be a part of it or somehow get sucked into it. The map seemed to be both right and wrong. The map was outdated, it was never updated on where battles have been currently fought. The ones on the map were ones in the past.  
Starting a sprint, Nightmeadow started running in any direction he felt was safest for the both of us. We didn’t want to get in line of trouble and end up hurt. The only problem was that we both didn’t know what to do or where to go. There seemed to be battles everywhere we go and I was only a girl with a horse, I had no tracking abilities.  
When night fell, all seemed to be at ease. The world around me looked as if it was safe enough to not be in immediate danger. The only thing needed to look for was thieves, but even then, it would be almost impossible to get robbed in the middle of a forest.  
Sleeping was a simple task, but there was a feeling that I just could not shake. I had a feeling deep in my gut that said something was going to happen and it wasn’t going to be a good thing. I slept right against Nightmeadow, just in case there was a time during the night that needed immediate running away.  
The sun rose just like any other day. This time the air felt colder and clammier. The air hung low and thick to the ground. Shivering, I woke up Nightmeadow with a pat to the neck. He seemed agitated, so I offered him a bit of food from my bag. Taking one for myself we stayed where we were to rest a bit. With the air this thick there was no way we were going to be seen.  
“So where should we head to next?” I asked.  
I don’t really know why I ask, it’s not like this horse will magically start talking to me as if he’s human or a magical being of some kind.  
Grabbing the reigns, we start off on our adventure for the day. The problem with the day is that the thick fog will make it harder to see where we’re going. Not wanting to get caught in another almost battle, we walked slow and listened carefully. The slower we went the safer we were.  
Twenty minutes or so into slow careful walking and I was still feeling very uneasy. We have been avoiding battles left and right no matter where we go, there always seems to be a fight going on that makes us change our way. There was a feeling deep in my gut that was either hunger or might will to continue on, but the feeling was saying that sooner or later we were going to have to run through a battle just to avoid the rest of them.  
That was the only way left. Riding left and right and backwards seemed to only find either remnants of a camp or a fight. There was no way left to go and it was putting a lot of stress on both me and Nightmeadow. Towns were becoming harder and harder to find unless we take the worst path possible.  
Hearing commotion in the distance we continued to walk in the direction. The battle seemed to be coming from either a field or a ditch or on a hill. The battles around this area seemed to be the most violent. There were cannons and gins everywhere in the aftermath. Taking a deep breath, I urged Nightmeadow onwards at a sprint, urging him to go his fastest. The battle seemed to be on its last stretch, which was good news. The only problem was avoiding any possible attack.  
The wind was blowing my hair left and right making it hard to see what was coming and if we were getting closer to the other side. Holding on tighter and tighter, I urged Nightmeadow to continue on and we could rest once we made it through.   
The next thing we heard was a loud noise coming from the left, but I was too slow to see what the noise came from. I was thrown from my horse while dirt and rocks went flying. I assume someone thought we were an enemy and aimed fire. I didn’t account for that, I just wanted to get through this. The worse feeling was being thrown from Nightmeadow and onto the ground. I felt as if I had been falling in slow motion.   
Time seemed to slow down as I felt something shake the earth. I felt things hit and shake the earth as everything went black.


	4. Chapter 4

Waking up was the hardest thing I have ever done. I felt like my whole body was on fire. Looking around, I saw things that no girl or even another person should see. I saw bodies of what used to be soldiers laying in the dirt and mud. Bodies that were of men young and old, of both the opposing side and ones that fought for Gilroy’s father.   
It was sad to see all the people who died in this battle, but that’s what war does. War steals people from their families and kills them. Looking around, I see something familiar, it was something big and black. I prayed that it wasn’t what I thought it was, but as I got closer I saw that my prayers weren’t going to be listened to this time.  
What I saw….was nightmeadow. He had been killed in the blast that may have been what killed the soldiers. There was something weird about the dirt that I was standing near. I slowly moved the dirt around until I saw, what was almost impossible even if I saw it with my own eyes. I was staring at my own body.  
My body was laying covered in dirt and mud, my hair was a mess and there was blood everywhere. I felt like this was a joke, that maybe I was just looking at someone similar to me, until I tried to touch the body. That’s when I realized that this wasn’t a cruel joke, I was really dead.   
I looked around to see if maybe anyone was around to help me, but who would help a ghost. Walking over to what was Nightmeadow, I tried to touch his dark mane. I was sad that I had lost a great friend who helped me all this way, sure he was moody at times, but he was a fun companion.  
I heard a noise behind me and what I saw surprised me.  
“Nightmeadow!” I shrieked.  
He had stayed behind to be with me. He thought I would be safer with him.  
Running to him, I gave him a hug.   
“Oh, you stayed! You stayed to be with me!”  
He whinnied in agreement.   
“Come on, lets go see what’s going on.”   
Grabbing his reigns, which surprised me, but I guess ghosts can touch other ghosts, we started walking through the battle. The field was covered in dirt, debris and bodies. We, well I , talked to just break the silence of the everything.  
“Well, It seems we’re dead now.”  
Nightmeadow made a noise that sounded in agreement.  
“I guess we don’t have to worry about guards anymore.” I laughed.  
Hopping on his dark leather saddle, the feeling of riding a ghost horse was different than riding a regular horse. It felt free, it felt like I had no restrictions on where I can and can’t ride. There was a sense of adventure knowing that I was free and that there was no way I can get in trouble or caught by guards. This feeling added a whole new layer to this travel between me and Nightmeadow.  
There was no need for food or sleep. I felt, in the 20 minutes of being dead, that I was constantly energized. Ghost life was going to be a difficult, yet exciting new topic to learn about. Being a human was difficult, but I had a feeling that being a spirit was going to be easier than having to remember to eat, sleep, and remember rules.  
Nightmeadow took me wherever his spirit felt to go. I gave him full control of our adventure. Anywhere he wants to go, I want to go. Everything was new and exciting, and I wanted to see it all.   
The wind didn’t bother my hair like it used to, I missed that, but it made it way easier to see where I was going. The longer we kept riding, the longer I was getting my mind away from the fact that I was dead. Being dead was certainly a new feeling. It feels like something most people don’t get to experience, I assume that other dead people just go on to their next life and not stay on earth. I’m not sure why I stayed here, maybe it was because I ran away from my current life to live another.  
I felt Nightmeadow slow down to a stop. Taking a quick glance left and right, there was a large and I mean LARGE lake in front of us. This lake was the bluest lake I have ever seen. The blue was almost as blue as the sky. The line between sky and water was nothing but a slim line of earth. It was a peaceful feeling looking at the lake.  
Looking into the reflective waters of the lake gave me a shocking fright. I had no reflection. Things were suddenly clicking into place.   
I was dead.  
The revelation hurt more than it did a few moments when the wind was in my hair and I was feeling free. The revelation that even though I can do what I want whenever I want was over shadowed by the fact that I was never going to actually experience things in my living life.  
Living life was what made the adventure worthwhile. I was feeling things with my hands and seeing things with my eyes. Now I won’t be able to do that. I will see things with my spirits eyes and my spirits hands. It won’t be the same now that my body is buried in a mound of dirt on a battle field miles away.  
Something nudging my body shook me out of my day dream. Nightmeadow was nudging me as a comforting way to say that even though I was dead and alone, I wasn’t really alone. We were going to be together on this spiritual adventure.   
Mounting Nightmeadow, we started our ride around the lands to see whatever we can see.  
“This certainly is quite the twist to our little story.” I patted his mane.  
He stopped and turned his neck to where he looked right at me. I took this as a symbol of agreement and that even though it was a new feeling we were stuck together.  
There was a sense of happiness that there was someone there with me to experience the new world of the afterlife. I was still not sure why we were both stuck on the earth to wander around. There must have been some kind of clues in my living life that gave an explanation as to why we stayed. The only thing I could think of was the portion of my life where I was unable to marry Gilroy.  
Gilroy….  
I wonder what he’s up to now that I ran away. I wasn’t sure if he ran off and married that girl or if his father made him go off and look for me all for the sense of reputation. Heck, their reputation is long gone with all the soldiers looking for me and asking every person they come across.  
“Hey, I think we should go back….”  
Pulling on the reigns and turning around we headed back on a journey to see what became of my family after I ran away.  
“I’m sure someone found our bodies by now.”  
There was a feeling that even though my body was covered up in dirt and mud, someone had to had come through and counted the number of soldiers that were dead and found my body. It wasn’t hard to miss, but knowing the people that Gilroys father has on his army someone was bound to look over a pile of dirt with cloth and just excuse it as cloth in dirt.  
Racing through the fields and passing through the abandoned camps made it seem like we were getting closer and closer to our destination. Even though the camps were passing left and right, I had a strange feeling we were more so going in circles than heading back home.   
Stopping Nightmeadow, I looked around trying to see if there was a landmark somewhere that could pinpoint where we were and if we were indeed going in the wrong direction or not. Glancing here and there, I had a sense of accomplishment because off in the distance I spotted a familiar boulder. The boulder, even though it could be just any random rock, wasn’t any random rock. This rock was one that we passed by once.   
Not knowing which way the rock was in coordination of anything else in the land that we passed by. Without maps, there was no way we could tell which way we were going. This thought put a haunting feeling in my soul. A feeling that made me feel as if we would never find our way back home. We followed every camp and every rock, but still no familiar towns or buildings.  
I was beginning to give up hope when I spotted something moving around in a field to our left. Getting a bit closer, but with caution, we saw it was just a sheep. With a sign, we rode on hoping that somewhere we find a clue telling us to where we are, and which way was home.  
Giving up hope that I was ever going to make it home, I hopped off Nightmeadow.  
“Let’s stop here to take a break”  
I was about to sit on a rock, but my body slipped right through it. You would think that being a spirit you would have a bit more abilities than the regular human. So far there was nothing great about being a spirit.  
I was sliding through rocks and falling through tress. Being human was more fun than this right now. Sure being a spirit, I could go endless hours without having to sleep or eat, but that’s not fun when you can’t even sit and enjoy things like trees.  
Night time was coming, but that didn’t bother me. No one could see me anyway so it’s not like someone will try and rob a ghost girl and her ghostly horse. Sighing, I decided to stay put for the night. Maybe a new day will help us get a clear mind  
The night was quiet except for the obvious sounds of crickets and birds. Being dead made it clear to me how much of nature I wasn’t appreciating while I was still alive. Things from the smallest bug and bird to the largest tree and rock. Nature was what I was going to be looking at until I found the answers to all my questions, so I might as well learn to appreciate it.  
Ghosts didn’t need sleep, but sitting and just listening to the sounds that nighttime gave made it to where I could get my head to clear and now worry about everything. The answers will soon come as they do.  
Sunrise gave me a shock. The rise of the sun made it clear to me that I was a spirit. The sun created a glare that shined right through my body. My body was an eerie blue that was also very transparent.  
The shock was also pretty because when I looked at Nightmeadow he shined a very transparent blue that almost shimmered in the sun. Other people might not see us, but there are some perks to being a ghost and that was being a pretty color.  
“Let’s get going.” I didn’t even need to hold onto Nightmeadow anymore, he proved that he wasn’t going anywhere.  
Things were feeling a bit better about today. The birds were sounding like they were giving me songs of hope and freedom. The forests nearby even though they were dark and gloomy held some pretty flowers and tall trees. Appreciating nature while I can was the best idea I have ever had.  
The answers were going to come when they did and there was no use in spending all my afterlife worrying about why I was there. There was something good about today. Things were certainly feeling as if I was either going to finally find my way back home or something was going to come to me.  
If only I hadn’t thought of that because the next thing I knew our nice day was ruined by a fresh and when I say fresh I mean FRESH battlefield. The remains were still smoking and there were cannons left askew on the ground. Things were certainly turning for us.


	5. Chapter 5

There was something strange going on in this field. It has a different feeling than all the fields we passed through. There must be an explanation as to why this feels different.   
Walking through the tall grass, looking far and wide, there was no clues that made it clear to us why this land felt the way it did. That was until we looked farther on in front of us. In the distance was an abandoned camp. One that we have never seen, but it must have been an ambush form the enemy because scattered around the land was bodies on those who died.   
Hearing a noise that sounded like a moan or a groan made Nightmeadow look at me in worry. Standing still, we waited to see if that was just the wind or something that needs checking out. I mean, with no one possibly being alive I doubt there was anyone hurt. Though you can never be too sure on a battlefield.   
Hearing the sound again, we slowly headed towards it. We started scanning the ground for the source, but also the tress. We hoped it was possibly a bird or something, but that wasn’t the case when we saw what it was. It was what looked to be the spirit of a soldier.   
This boy looked to be maybe in his twenties. He had dirty blonde hair, but he also lost any color in his hair since he was now like me and Nightmeadow. He had a solid blue sheen to him, but looking at his corpse, you got a sense of what his looks were before he died.  
The groaning noise that Nightmeadow and I heard was probably the sounds of this boy before he finally died. Standing behind this mysterious boy was strange because he was the first other spirit that we have encountered the few days that we’ve been spirits.  
“Ummm…..hello?” I asked.  
The boy jumped. It seemed as if he wasn’t expecting anyone to talk to him.  
“Wha-what! Who are you?” He stammered.  
“I’m Blair and this is my horse Nightmeadow.”  
“What? How is it that you can see me? I can tell that I may or may not be dead.” The boy asked.  
“You’re dead. I went through the same thing when I first came around.” I didn’t beat around the bush with this boy. I had to tell him straight and true that he was no longer of the living world.  
The boy looked around almost as if he was contemplating what I just told him. He started to walk away only to try and fail on sitting on a rock. The same thing that had happened to me not too long ago.  
The scene caused me to laugh. The boy, who I still didn’t know his name, looked flabbergasted. As if I wasn’t supposed to laugh at his little incident and that being dead was supposed to be an eternity long serious thing.  
“I’m sorry…That just made me remember the time that that happened to me when I was just a freshly dead.” I laughed.  
“How long have you been dead?” He asked.  
Petting Nightmeadows mane I said, “A few weeks. Nightmeadow and I were foolish enough to run through one of these battles and got mistaken for an enemy. Long story short someone has good aim with a cannon.”   
The boy shook his head. Almost as if he was feeling bad that we all died, but I knew deep down that there was another reason he was so sad.  
“So, what brought you to this battle?” I asked.  
“My father wanted a war hero son, but all I was a simple farm boy. That’s all I was good for and he wanted someone that he could brag about to his buddies.” He said bitterly.  
“If we’re going to be afterlife buddies, might as well know your name?”  
“Callum McBradbury. That’s my name.” He stood up and dusted off his what used to be dark blue soldier pants.  
Having a new ghostly companion was a new thing for Callum and me both. We both had things to learn about why we were stuck here, but for now it was my job to teach him the ropes, or what I’ve learned so far that is.  
“Alright Callum, well the first thing you gotta know is that you’re dead. Point simple. No if’s, and, ors, or buts. You. Are, Dead.” I told him.  
“Ok, I kinda got the idea, but thanks for the clarification.”   
“Next thing, you can’t touch anything in the human world. No rocks, trees or people. You can only touch other spirits.” I touched his arm to show that I can indeed touch him, then showed my hand go through a nearby tree.   
Things were going to be tough trying to help this guy get through the new chunk of his life, but maybe this is what I was here to do. To help others that are trapped on this earth.  
“So, pretty much what you’re saying is that, I’m dead and I can only touch others that are also dead?” Callum asked.  
“Yea pretty much.” I shrugged.  
“Ok, anything else?”  
“Not really. That’s all I got so far.”  
“Ah, so what’s your story? Where are you from and how did you get tied into that battle?”  
I looked at him in question, “Why would you want to know my story?”  
He shrugged.  
“Well…”, I started. “It’s a pretty crazy story, but long story short is that I was set up to be married to my father’s friend’s son and we both didn’t want to be married to each other, so we made plans in secret and I ran away, avoiding search parties left and right. Only to be blown down by some cannons.”  
“Thank sucks.”  
I nodded, “Well I guess we might as well stay here and rest up. We can’t exactly eat or sleep, but no one said we can’t sit and act like it.”  
Laying against Nightmeadow made the past hour or so all better. The shock of finding someone else that was dead was a new thing. It wasn’t the type of item I was expecting in this new part of life, but it certainly was something new and could end up exciting.  
Night came and went. The first day of ghost “training” was officially starting.  
“Alright, Callum. Let’s get up and start moving.” I lightly kicked his boot.  
We were going to have to move fast if we were going to teach this boy what we know and learn things. Good thing I didn’t die in a frilly dress.  
“We need to get moving if we’re going to figure out why you’re stuck here too.” I put a fist to my hip, “So come on guy, up.”  
This boy seemed like he didn’t want to go anywhere. I mean I can see his point, being told your dead and that there was a reason for not going to your new life was a chocking thing and some people take longer to accept that.  
With a sigh, I just decided to get a start on the walk and if he wanted to come along he can catch up. Nightmeadow was uneasy about leaving the poor boy alone in a new world, but I know how to get people to see your point of view and fast. This was from years of seeing my father do it to get people agree to his plans.  
We weren’t very far when I heard the common sounds of boots hitting the dirt. Turning around, I saw Callum hunched over gasping for breath.   
“You know, there’s no need to be gasping like that. You have all the energy you need.”  
Mounting Nightmeadow, we started on our way, Callum on our heels.  
The ride was quiet for miles. No one was saying a word, I guess it’s because Callum was deep in thought and was trying to figure out why he was here. I’m pretty sure he was blaming either himself or his father for getting himself killed. I mean both were certainly a factor in his unfortunate demise.  
Taking a deep sight, I decided that I had to be the bigger person here and initiate contact.  
“So, what’s going on in that head of yours?”   
“Huh? Oh, nothing really. Just thinking about how it’s a new thing being dead and all.”  
“Hm, yea it’s a new feeling. Thought you’ll get used to it eventually. There’re perks to being dead you know.”  
That seemed to catch his interest.  
“Oh really, what’s that?”  
I sat in thought for a moment, “Well, you know there’s the no need for food or sleep. Those are great perks, that means you don’t have to worry about money. The other perks, I haven’t figured out yet.” I chuckled.  
“So, I take it being a ghost takes longer than a few weeks to get the hang of?” Callum asked.”  
“Exactly and that’s why I want to help you find your way through your new life. That way we both can learn together, instead of wandering around the world alone.” I gestured to the large forest in front of us.  
The forest was strange. It wasn’t like all the other ones Nightmeadow and I have been through. This one was darker, more sinister feeling. There weren’t many swamps in the area, but for all I know we could be in an area that I have never actually been in.  
The sun was barely shining through the thick forestry, making it hard to see what we were looking at. This strange place could be hiding anything from animals to any other dangerous things, but that doesn’t matter since nothing can harm us.  
That didn’t ease the strange feeling in my belly that said that there was something much more sinister in this forest. Something supernatural. There was a feeling that something might be able to cause harm to us here.  
The road twisted and turned through the vegetation and vines, until the road came to a stop and we had to start walking on what felt like moss packed down into a make shift road. Nightmeadow obviously didn’t like the feeling of the place because he was getting more and more nervous and I didn’t want him to start running even though nothing can hurt him.  
The moss was dark and gooey. Almost as if it wasn’t a solid and more like a thick goo. This forest was a weird place to be and I didn’t like it at all.  
“This forest isn’t a safe place.” I say out loud. “There’s something suspicious about it.”  
Callum looks around, “Yea, I noticed that, do you think we should turn around?”  
“Probably shouldn’t, you never know if this forest will get us turned around. Then we’ll never find our way out.”  
“Then we march on, but what if night comes and we still haven’t found the way out of here?”   
Stopping and looking around, I noticed that it was probably midafternoon, and we were still walking around this forest. I had a feeling that we might be going in circles. Things were not turning out well for us.  
There at the edge of this weird mossy road was a house. The house was small and looked like it was rotted away, but there was a strange smell coming from it. An ominous smoke flooded out of the chimney. It was a dark almost grey in color and smelled awful.   
Hopping off Nightmeadow, I gestured to Callum and told him to follow me and keep quiet. Things were going to get hairy if whatever was in that house got whiff of us. I knew that there wasn’t a chance of it finding us, but you never knew in the Scottish forests, especially ones that look like this.   
Stepping off the moss and into the tall vegetation was a thing that I didn’t want to do, but the tall grass uncomfortably went through us. Walking as far and as quiet as possible, we tried to get through this uncontrollable field before the sun went down.   
Next thing we heard was the audible creaking of a wooden door that made us all stop in our tracks. The noise startled Nightmeadow, making him run off. I tried to stop him, but he was too fast to be stopped. Hopefully we can find him again, until then we were on our own.  
The creaking stopped and Callum tapped on my shoulder and gestured to me that he was going to scout and see what was living in that house, Nodding, he snuck closer and closer to the house and “hid” behind a bush.   
He made a face that seemed that of horror and shock. Making frantic hand gestures that I didn’t understand, he snuck back to me ducking lower, almost laying on the ground.  
“There’s something awful in there. Something big. I-I don’t know what it is, but it’s huge and ugly.” Callum panted.  
“Look I know it’s big and ugly, but you have to describe it to me or we might have to go back so I can see for myself.”  
“It was- it was… I don’t know Blair. The thing seemed too crazy to be true. It was big, and the skin was almost grey, and was dressed in green. The monster looked to be a woman with low hanging breasts, she was heading in the opposite direction with cloth.” Callum described.  
“Alright, well by what you were describing it sounds to me like we have either a Bean Nighe or a Biera. These things are sure to live in a forest like this, but if they are what we think they are…” I didn’t want to think about what would happen if we ran into one of those monsters.


	6. Chapter 6

They were of folk lore in Scottland, but all the real nonetheless. The Bean Nighe is a spirit of those that have died during childbirth and are doomed to wash blood stained clothes of those who are about to die until the day their human lives ended. There are ways to get past this spirit and that usually includes asking three questions or to receive a wish one must sneak up on her when she is washing and suck her breast and inform her that you are her adoptive child.  
The Bean Nighe seems to be what lives in the rotten house. Usually these kinds of spirits live in caves, but I also know little of the spirits to know where they can be found.   
“I suspect that this house has a Bean Nighe in it. These spirits are generally easy to get past if we get sneaky enough. I’m not sure if they can see other spirits since they aren’t the same kind of spirit as we are.” I looked over the bush to see if it has returned yet.  
“Maybe if we’re fast enough we can look in that house for something to use.” Callum suggested.  
“I doubt that house will have anything useful to us. The house will most likely only have clothes and buckets.”   
Callum and I got up off the muddy and cold forest floor. We started to slowly walk through the vegetation, being as careful as possible to avoid the Bean Nighe while also looking for Nightmeadow. Things weren’t looking good for us on finding Nightmeadow. Being a ghost was one thing, but looking for a semitransparent horse in a dark and gloomy forest was going to be harder than we originally thought.  
The plan was to have one of us look around for Nightmeadow and the other make sure we didn’t get a hair closer to the Bean Nighe. Confronting the monster would spell trouble for us, but even if the monster couldn’t see us we weren’t about to take that chance. We went too far only to be beaten to another death by a monster of folk lore.  
The bushes were getting harder and harder to phase through. I guess we spirits need rest after all. Things were starting to feel as if we were human again.   
“We have to start going around these bushes. It’s getting hard to go through them.” I suggested to Callum.  
The sun was getting lower and lower, making it difficult to see anything in this muddy forest. I really didn’t want to be here, not with something crawling around the place. Plus, you never know what else lives here, I doubt any other humans come into these types of forests.  
The sounds we heard were unnerving and shook us to the core. Sounds that made it difficult to comprehend what was going on and where you were going. These sounds sounded like a mixture of nocturnal animals and something else.  
We had to stop and listen, we couldn’t rely on our eyes alone. Eyes were the one thing that cause people to go crazy and think things are what they aren’t.  
Grabbing onto Callums sleeve, “Listen, we have to try to get out of here, we can find Nightmeadow in the morning. He’s a reliable horse, he knows what’s dangerous and what isn’t. I bet my left foot that by the time we get out of here he’s going to be waiting for us out in some field. Acting like there’s not a care in the world.”  
Callum laughed, “Yea some horses are like that. How’d you get Nightmeadow anyway?”  
“Well, it’s a funny story- I stole him.” I looked around thinking I heard a noise, but it was because I was embarrassed about the fact that I had told someone I stole a horse.  
“You…stole him?” Callum asked.  
“Yep. I stole him right out of an Inn’s stable. He was the smallest out of the bunch and I thought he would be easier to handle, but he was just itching for an adventure and willingly came with me.”  
“Ah, fair enough. Let’s get moving, the more we move the faster we might be able to find out way out of this place.”  
Trekking just a smidge faster, we were dodging and weaving over, under and around trees, bushes and anything that has fallen over. We were frantically searching for a way out even though there was no way that we can see what’s two feet in front of us, we were willing to take a risk and hope that nothing in these woods could see us.  
We were starting to get in desperate need for rest and even though things were getting to a desperate level there was no way in Scottland’s green hills were we going to stop and sit down in this place. We’re going to rest when we get out of here. I’m sure if anything follows us, it shouldn’t be able to go outside the boarders of the forest. That’s usually how the rules to folk lore goes, but my knowledge is very limited.  
Walking for what seemed like forever, the sun was finally showing its bright, sunny face. The bright yellow light shining through the trees was a sign that all was going to be alright. We assumed that nothing will be out during daylight hours.  
Spotting what appeared to be a sign of hope, we hear the distant sounds of a horse. A horse that knew we were coming. We started sprinting, we knew that we were finally getting closer and closer to our destination. Hope was rising.  
Trees parted, and I could see Nightmeadow waiting right where I said he would be. Sitting and acting like there wasn’t a care in the world.  
He was as excited to see us as we were to see him. After giving him some much-needed love and reassurance that we were alright we sat and tried our best to rest up. The night in the forest of the damned was something that I did not want to try again, and it took too much of my energy to get through.  
“Well Callum, how was your first time on a spiritual adventure?” I asked from the ground.  
I heard some grass rustle before hearing him answer.  
“It was….interesting. Certainly something that I wouldn’t want to try again.” Callum chuckled.  
At least we both agreed on something. He was starting to get used to being a spirit and that was good because in this kind of world you need to adapt fast or else you weren’t going to last long.   
“So, now what?” I asked him.  
“I’m not sure. Maybe we can try and see if we can find my old house? I mean, it’s a suggestion, we don’t have to do it if we don’t have to.” He stammered.  
“Let’s do it. I wasn’t able to find my old home, but maybe we can find yours. Hopefully we don’t have to go through that monstrosity ever again.” Standing up, I walked over to Nighteadow.  
We all started the long journey to find out where Callum came from and see how his family is doing. We were still exhausted from the overnight rush through the forest of doom, but the further we went from the forest the better.  
The day was slowly coming to an end. With the sun going down it was best to start searching for places that were good rest spots, free of any and all danger. This area was still unknown so any place near a small town or city was the prime choice of spots. Though I’m starting to believe that there was a slim chance of finding a town any time soon.  
Hearing Callum sigh, I looked down at him.   
“What’s going on down there?”  
“Hmmm? Oh nothing. I was just thinking that this is still all new to me, I was wondering if we might ever find my home.”  
I was silent for a moment, “Well, Scottland is pretty big. These lands all look the same and without a map or any signs of where we are, there’s little or no chance of actually finding our way around.”  
He sighed, “Yea, the maps around here aren’t exactly the most reliable.”  
“I once found a map at a camp and that did little helping, it only made me follow the path of the battles instead of avoiding them.” I chuckled.  
“That sounds awful, I assume that’s how you ended up in the predicament you’re in now? He asked.  
“Yep, it sucks but at least old Nightmeadow is here with me. I’m surprised he stayed after we both died.”  
The sun was practically gone, so we decided to stop and call where we were camp for the night. Where we were was the question. All I know is we were somewhere between two tall, green hills. The area wasn’t the greatest to call camp, due to possible environmental dangers, but right now it was our only choice and we were already dead, so we went with what we were given.  
The nights were getting chilly, but the earlier we got up the more land we cover. Resting up for a few hours could give us a good amount of energy for any phasing we need to do. I was starting to believe that phasing was the only thing we spirits could do and any ghosts of folk lore were different spirits entirely.   
Resting against Nightmeadow, I looked over at Callum who was resting against a nearby tree and began thinking. I knew his story and he knew mine, but why was it that he wanted to go back and see his father. The father was the one who pretty much sent him to his death.  
I shrugged, the question was still fresh in my mind, but there was no need to worry about it. The answer, like the answer to everything else, will come up in time. I’ve been wandering around these lands for months, I’ve seen things that were both nice to look at and others that weren’t so nice. The green hills and starry sky, the animals running through the lands and grazing at the grass in the fields. It was more than what I’ve seen in my whole life and I feel great that I ran away and didn’t marry Gilroy.  
The sky was still dark, but there was a light color appearing in the lower horizon of the sky and I knew that it was a good time to start walking again.  
“Alright, time to get moving!”  
Nightmeadow got up and did a little shake to shake off any dirt and grass that may have stuck to him during the night before walking a bit to graze on the grass while I went and got Callum up.  
“Come on, let’s get moving. We might get lucky and find your house after all.”  
Slowly getting up, he stretched and started looking around.   
“I hope so, I really want to see if my father was informed of my death or not.”  
“I doubt it, I haven’t heard of any news of those who died, I doubt they even make lists.” I told him, “And with battles going left and right I don’t think they can keep up with the ones who’re dead and those that aren’t.”  
The sun was making more and more colors appear in the sky, it looked like a painting in my father’s study. The painting was a mix of reds and yellows with splotches of oranges. It made me remember the simpler times, where I wasn’t so focused on the lady training and other annoying things, but when I was free to enjoy life and play with my family.  
The sun made the dew on the grass shine like jewels. Shimmering in the light. It made our morning much better even though there was not much to be happy about. We wanted to desperately to help Callum find his house and be happy.  
The hills were a tough field to go through. There were more hills than what we were used to on our travels, but we made it over and saw that there was a large field, but still no towns. Callum mentioned that he lived on a farm with his father. Maybe the fields will lead us to his farm and not a town. The only strange thing that caught my eye was a large batch of animals that were grazing in the grass.   
“Alright, so I have a feeling that we might be onto something here.” I pointed to the group of sheep and other horses that were in the field in front of us.   
“Yea, there must be a type of farm that is nearby here.” Callum exclaimed with a hint of excitement in his voice.  
I knew he was excited that maybe the farm that these animals came from was possibly his home, but I knew that he shouldn’t get his hopes up. The field looked like it went on for miles, the grass twisting and turning over small hills. There was a certain point where we couldn’t see anything past the grass, so we continued walking. We were hoping that the farm or at least the source of animals was somewhere nearby.  
The grass was green and tan in other places. It was neatly cut, probably from all the animals grazing on the land. The sun was high, and the world was looking good despite all the other hiccups in the trips. We walked up and down hills until we stopped for a rest.  
Resting at the top of a hill, all was quiet until I heard a gasp. The gasp sounds like he was surprised at something. Turning around I saw that he was pointing at something over at the base of the hill we were sitting on.


	7. Chapter 7

Looking over the hill, we spotted a small farm house in the distance.  
“That’s my house!” Callum exclaimed.  
The little farm house was yellow in color and there was a small windmill in the corner of the property. There were many different animals on this land, usually farmers have things like sheep or horses, but this farm had chickens, sheep, horses and pigs. It’s certainly unique compared to the other farms that I saw.  
“This is your house?” I asked.  
“Yea! You need a big farm with all the animals we have.” He chuckled.  
Grabbing hold of Nightmeadow, “Ah, I see. Well do you want to head down now or what?” I looked over and saw that he was already running down the side of the hill.  
Mounting Nightmeadow, we started the trot down the hill to catch up with an excited Callum.  
“Woah there soldier! There’s no reason to be in such a rush. It’s midafternoon and you’re dead, it’s not like there’s a deadline on seeing your house.”  
Callum stopped running and looked at me, “What do you mean there’s no rush! I’ve been wanting to be here for months! I’m finally here so of course there’s going to be a rush!” He exclaimed.  
“Alright, but you know your father won’t be able to hear or see you. Don’t get too excited then get hurt when you realize that he really doesn’t see you.”  
He started running off before I could say anything else. Lightly kicking Nightmeadow, we slowly made our way to the yellow house. It was much larger than it seemed from the top of the hill. The window shutters were a light brown, and the door was heavy red color with a brass knocker on the front.   
It was strange to see a farm house with a door knocker. Usually knockers were used in houses in the city, but I guess they got it as a gift. Seeing Callum look around the farm, I knew that he was going to try and go inside. Probably to go find his father or anyone else that may be in the house.  
Just as I thought that thought, Callum went right through the front door. Kicking Nightmeadow, we speed walked to the front door. Tying him up to a nearby horse stable, I phased through the door. The front door lead to the living room. It was a nice peach color with some pictures hanging up on the wall and tan couches.   
Glancing around, I noticed that there were small pictures hanging on the walls and on the table. The pictures were of a family, a family that seemed so nice and warm, until one of the pictures showed that the family was noticeably smaller. The pictures that were once filled with five people were now filled with two.   
I’m never one to assume things, but I assume that something happened to take away the other three family members and leaving the father and Callum. Maybe it was an accident or some kind of illness.  
I wouldn’t really know until I asked Callum myself. Being in the Living room, I was able to get a sense of the family life that was once blossoming in this room. Walking into the kitchen, there was dusty utensils sitting on the far counter. Mixers and blenders that were probably once used to bake and mix homemade meals and cookies.  
I wouldn’t admit it out loud, but I was envious of Callum. I had barely met him a few weeks ago, but just by walking through his house I could feel that he had a close family. It was something that I wasn’t able to experience.  
My father was always gone on business and my mother was gone because she was the wife and needed to keep appearances while father was away. That left me and my siblings to grow up being raised by the maids and other servants. The only time we saw father or mother was when me and my sister were getting extra lessons on being a lady or being scolded because we weren’t acting ladylike enough for her liking. My brother got to hang around father more than ever.  
He was the only boy of the family. That means that he had to learn how to be a man and that included how to fight in wars.  
Sighing, I walked away from the kitchen and ascended the stairs. I was hoping that I was going to run into Callum sooner than later. The odds that he was going to find his father were getting slimmer and slimmer. If he wasn’t in the house the only other option was he was out in the fields. Though I doubt it. The pictures looked like the father was pretty old and he probably wasn’t up to so much hard work.  
“Callum! Callum, where are you?” I asked.  
A door cracked open and I saw an old man peek through. I hope he didn’t hear me, but it wasn’t until I heard him talk that I knew he must be a spirit.  
“Hello? Who are you?” He asked.  
“I’m Blaire, I was looking for a boy named Callum. He used to live here.”  
“That’s my son. He’s here?!”  
“Yes, but if you can see me and talk to me that must mean that you’re a spirit too.” I glanced into the room and saw that there was a body lying on the floor.   
“Yes, I was alone when it happened.” He told me, “I slipped and fell, but since the neighbors are so far away in these parts no one could hear my cries.”  
I knew that that was a sad way to go, but that’s what happens when you live so far away from others. The man had deep wrinkles that ran all over his face. The overalls that was being worn looked to be permanently dirtied by the dirt and mud that was all over the lands. I knew that once you died, you were forever to wear what you died in.   
“I take it, you’ve been here for a while?” I asked.  
“Yes, I believe I passed about a month ago. It was an accident that shouldn’t have happened if I didn’t take off my darn boots after walking through the pig pens.” He muttered, almost shamefully.  
Nodding, I began thinking. If this man hadn’t seen Callum yet, that means he hadn’t been up here yet. The only logical place he could be was out in the fields. Not knowing the layout of the land, I had no choice, but to ask the man for help.  
“Do you think you can show me around the place? If Callum hasn’t found you yet, that means he must be looking around the farm.”  
“How exactly do you know my boy?” The man questioned.  
“I met him with my horse Nightmeadow a while back when we were passing through a field. He had been wounded in battle, but by the time we found his body he was already dead and as much confused as you are now.” I explained.  
Humming, the man seemed pleased with my answer, “And how did you become a spirit?”  
“Well, that’s rather personal, but let’s just say that it was a bad mix up that costed me and Nightmeadows lives.”  
Walking down the stairs and out the front door, I noticed that the old man wasn’t behind me. He was in the living room, almost as if he was stalling and looking longing at the pictures of a full family.  
“My wife and girls were taken by a bad illness that came through the area. I’m surprised that me and Callum even made it out alive.” He put the picture down and walked out the door, “I must find my boy, so we can finally be a family again.”  
Callum mentioned that his father was a stubborn man who wanted nothing of him, but a reason to brag and say his son was a war hero. I guess death changes people in many ways. The man changed for the better and saw that his son was more than a soldier.  
Walking through the seemingly endless fields and finding nothing, we were beginning to lose hope. That was until I heard Nightmeadow make weird noises.  
Running back to the front of the house, I was shocked to see what was in front of me. The thing that I didn’t think that would happen in a million years, but that’s what happens when you’ve only known someone for a few weeks.  
Callum was trying to steal Nightmeadow!  
“Just what the heck do you think you’re doing!” I shouted.  
“He’s not here, Blair!” He shouted back, “My father is nowhere to be found.”  
“What are you talking about, didn’t you look upstairs?” I asked.  
“Why would he be upstairs? He’s never been upstairs since my mom and sisters died.”  
“I was upstairs because I wanted to look at old memories, Callum.” His father turned the corner.  
“You almost gave me a run for my money, young lady. It’s been a while since I ran that fast.” He told me.  
“Oops, sorry sir.” I muttered.  
He walked up to Callum, giving him a look that looked to me like he was about to scold him. Even in death he was going to be a father and discipline his kids no matter what.  
“You have no right to try and take this girls horse, she went through and helped you home.” He sternly told him.  
Callum was stiff and had a face that said something along the lines of embarrassment. I guess he got the picture of even in death his father was going to be his father and not let him get away with anything.  
“We both may be dead, but I will not let you run around and steal people’s horses all because of a silly misunderstanding. I am still your father.” He sternly told Callum.  
Standing there awkwardly was the worst part of my afterlife. Hearing a father bicker to his son was something that I didn’t think I would be here to see. I didn’t think that he was the type of person to act that way towards his son, but I guess that when Callum said he was strict he really meant that he was a strict father and not necessarily strict towards other people.  
I slowly took Nightmeadow and walked back and around the corner. I needed to get away from the situation. Hopping on Nightmeadow, we carefully started the ride away from the farm. There was no reason for us to still be there and the father and son needed to sort out the problem themselves.  
Being just me and Nightmeadow made me remember the lonely time of our fresh spirit days. That was not too long ago, but it seemed like forever. The adventure was so long and tiring, but reuniting Callum with his father was great on my spirit. I was wondering what was going to happen the more I rode around. Maybe I was going to finally find home again or help someone reunite with their family. All I know is that this life was going to be an adventure and it’s just going to be me and Nightmeadow all the way.


	8. Chapter 8

After the long ride, off and away from the awkward farm, I was wondering about if Callum and his father came to an agreement and got happy enough to reunite with their family. Even though the thought was taking over huge chunks of my mind, I was not about to turn around and go look. The sun was already almost down, and the night was going to come. It feels as if it is coming faster than usual.  
My father would tell me that once the days become smaller and night comes faster the snow will soon come. The snow brings things that I don’t want to see out here. Things that howl and the howl echoes throughout the forest, bouncing off the snow. Father once told me that there were things called wolves out in parts of the country.  
I didn’t know exactly what parts of the country these animals walk around. I still forget that nothing can harm me other than things that will harm other spirits. Nightmeadow still gets spooked at the smallest things, but I think that’s only because he’s a horse and even a dead horse still gets spooked at things.   
The night was almost here, and the temperature was starting to drop. Not caring, I continued on the walk. Nightmeadow wanted to stop, but I pressed on and tried to find my way back to my own home. There was no way I could still be lost and not find my way back without seeing at least one little sign.  
Stopping for the night against a tree. Nightmeadow was starting to get into the habit of staying where I put him. He was starting to be something of an obedient horse, I believe that there was a way to get us home, Nightmeadow deserved to know where I came from and to see a familiar place again.  
We have been everywhere these past few months and it was starting to get on my nerves. I knew I was probably stuck here forever as a spirit. I’m not sure if forever will include with Ngihtmeadow, but I hope it does. I’m not one to keep someone with me forever, Nightmeadow stayed with me in the beginning because he wanted to and I just think that if push comes to shove, he would stay with me forever.  
Scottland was somewhere I grew up and should know like the back of my hand. Though with the way I was also born and raised, it is also acceptable that I have no clue where I was going. If I was my brother I would have known the whole world. He was able to go out with father and see the country with Gilroy and his father.  
The war was what ultimately tore my family apart on the inside, but on the outside, there was still the parts that the public was not allowed to see. We had to keep up appearances and keep things calm and collected. Act like the perfect family that was also fortunate to have military ties.  
Just like night, morning comes sooner than usual. The weather is cooler and there is a fog that lays close to the ground. The fog was thick and low. There was a small chance we could see where we were going, but with the sun coming up the fog makes it impossible to see as the light reflects against the moisture of the fog.  
I wish there was a morning just like this on other circumstance. The fog was nice and cool and being human again would have made it more enjoyable, but since I was not human anymore there was no way I was going to enjoy this.  
Nightmeadow was shaking the grass off before I patted his mane.  
“Let’s get going.”  
Walking slowly through the fog, I was making sure to watch where I was going. This was another time I didn’t trust Nightmeadows footing. We both could barely see the ground and with not seeing the ground comes obvious risks of tripping. I didn’t want to see what a scraped knee or elbow looked like as a ghost, I doubt that was even a possibility to begin with.  
“Alright boy, once this fog clears up we can get back to looking around this wonderful country. I’m sure there’s parts we haven’t seen yet that aren’t dangerous to us like what we saw earlier.” I chuckled.  
I had a new-found excitement brewing in my heart. I knew that this adventure was going to be something that we can continue going on forever. Even if we never find my family ever again, I will be happy knowing that my best friend and companion will be with me for as long as possible.   
This would have never happened if I didn’t take that risk all those months ago and firmly decide to take a leap of faith to follow my heart and not live by example. My family wanted one thing for me, but I wanted something that was both rebellious in my society, but also not at all something a lady was supposed to do.  
Being a wife and a lady is something that my family wanted for me, but what I wanted for me was to be an explorer and see things that I was never raised to see. I wanted to see and breathe the open air of the mountains and feel the tall grass along the hills.  
Turning up dead and living this life as a spirit wasn’t exactly what I wanted to begin with, but the unexpected turned out to be something that I never knew I needed. Being dead is a sad thing, but it has brought me a new friend and help that friend overcome his own obstacles and be reunited with his family.  
The Scottish hills shined as the sun rose from behind them and opened up a new world of possibilities and adventures.


End file.
